Stay
by NCIS-Ziva-Abby
Summary: One-shot. Claudia gets sick and has to stay in bed. Artie/Claudia, father/daughter.


Posting this because I can. I wrote it for a prompt on tumblr and that's about it. If you are wondering about my other fics, I'm working on new chapters for some of them but I don't know when I'll be able to get them up, so please continue being the lovely, patient readers that you are. Thanks!

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Stay

Pairing: Artie/Claudia, father/daughter

Rating: G

Prompt: An Artie/Claudia fanfic father/daughter relationship where Claud gets sick.

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Claudia groaned and burrowed deeper beneath her comforter. She felt as though she'd just taken an early morning ice bath in the middle of the arctic, but her sweat-dampened skin told another story. She'd woken up that morning feeling like crap and hadn't yet found the energy to even vacate her bed and the warmth it provided. Granted, overheating her already-feverish body beneath a pile of blankets probably wasn't the best of ideas, however at this point, she couldn't really find it in herself to care.

Maybe someone would come in and dig her out eventually, but Claudia certainly wasn't up to doing it herself. She'd happily fall into a coma or something if it meant putting an end to the cold sweats, the congestion, and the deep ache throughout her body. But a nap would have to do. She turned on her side and tugged the covers over her head, praying that sleep would overtake her as quickly as possible.

No such luck.

Outside her bedroom door, Claudia heard the heavy footfalls and playful bickering signifying that Pete and Myka were up and heading down for breakfast before they left for the riveting day of Warehouse inventory foretold by Artie at dinner the night before. She considering yelling for them to be quiet, but found she couldn't really muster the energy to do so, instead settling for another groan as she rolled onto her other side, facing away from the door. Not even Leena's spectacular blueberry pancakes sounded appetizing right now, though she was at least thankful that she could most likely skip out on inventory today, armed with a legitimate excuse. After all, Artie would not appreciate it if she ended up sweating or throwing up on any of his precious artifacts.

Content now to drift off into oblivion, Claudia found it immensely bothersome when a sudden knock at her door sent her eyes flying back open.

"Claudia?" Leena's voice floated through the solid wood.

"What?" She'd been shooting for agitated, but it came out sounding more pathetic than anything else.

"I came to see if you were coming down for breakfast. Blueberry pancakes," said the innkeeper. There was a pause, then, "Are you okay?"

"'M fine," Claudia grumbled in response. Not very convincingly, it seemed, as seconds later, Leena was swinging open the door to enter the bedroom.

"You don't sound fine. And your aura looks awful," Leena declared, sounding concerned. "You're sick." It wasn't a question, but Claudia answered anyway with a muffled "Mhmm."

"Okay, get some rest. I'll call Artie. And I'll put some soup on for you, as well."

"No," the young tech genius groaned, but her protests fell on deaf ears as Leena exited the room, pulling the door shut softly behind her.

Afterwards, Claudia figured she must have finally fallen asleep, because she was startled out of a hazy dream about giant bat-like creatures using computers to take over the minds of schoolchildren by a tentative knock at her door.

"Hmmph," she moaned, just loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. Whoever it was took it as an invitation to enter, pushing the door open and shuffling inside.

The movements were too clumsy for it to be Leena, and she doubted that Pete and Myka were still hanging around when they had work to do, which left only Steve or Artie. And since Steve was currently away for a few days on personal leave, Artie was really the only possible visitor. Unless, of course, Trailer had recently grown opposable thumbs and... Now it was just the fever talking.

"Hey, kiddo." Yep, it was Artie. "Leena called, told me you were sick, so... Uh, she sent up some soup for you here." She heard the clang of silverware and a dull thud as Artie placed what she assumed to be a tray holding the aforementioned soup down on her nightstand.

Working up what little energy she had, Claudia managed to turn herself back over and unbury her head.

"Thanks," she croaked, looking up to meet her mentor's eyes. She was surprised to recognize a hint of worry lurking below those untamed eyebrows.

Artie faltered beneath her gaze, reaching up to fiddle absently at his glasses. "Erm, how are you feeling?" he asked.

Claudia would have laughed at his awkwardness if she'd had the energy. "Like crap, but I'll live. No need to worry, old man."

His eyes narrowed just slightly at the at the moniker out of habit, though he'd come to accept it for what it really was - a Claudia-brand term of endearment. He was quick to refute her statement though. "Worrying. Who's worrying?"

"Oh, not you, papa bear," Claudia said, managing to inject some of her usual snark into the response.

Artie frowned and pushed his glasses further up his nose, choosing to ignore her comment.

"Are you- Can I get you anything? More blankets? Fewer blankets? Your soup?"

"Nah. No. I'm not very hungry right now," she mumbled, face buried in her pillow. "But thanks," she added. After knowing him for so long, Claudia was beginning to understand the older agent's unspoken need to be assured that he was doing all right, not just by her, but by all the members of their strange little surrogate family.

And that really was what they were, a family. Not conventional by any means, but there was no denying the love they all felt for each other. It often showed. In Pete and Myka's sibling-like banter, in Leena's motherly attitude toward all of them, even in Artie's bumbling efforts to be more than just a boss and mentor to her - that sometimes (okay, often) misguided attempt at father-figure he usually tried so hard to hide behind a gruff facade.

And, Claudia had to admit, it felt good to know she was cared for after so many years of having no one to rely on but herself - misguided attempts and all.

"Okay then," Artie replied, glancing around the room. His eyes softened as they landed on the picture of the two of them. It was the same one he'd held in his hands the day Claudia had disappeared in search of the metronome. He hadn't really thought about it at the time, but he knew and Leena could tell, he had been worried and even scared for the safety of their youngest team member. The girl - no, woman - that over the years, he'd come to, dare he say it, love as the daughter he'd never had. And he still did worry for her. All the time.

He fumbled again with his glasses and shuffled backwards a step, pulling himself from his reverie to find Claudia staring up at him from beneath her bundle of covers, eyes glassy and lids heavy. "I'll just...go," he said, shuffling back another step. "You know, you should eat that soup," he quickly added as an afterthought. "It's-"

"I know, fluids and nutrients, blah, blah, blah," Claudia grumbled, closing her eyes.

Artie nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey, Artie?" Claudia called suddenly, voice small. He stopped in his tracks and turned to see her eyes open again, staring in a manner he could only describe as sheepish.

"Yeah?"

"Could you... Could you stay? For a little while?" she faltered. "Just until I fall asleep?"

Relieved that there wasn't a problem, and he wouldn't be embarrassing himself trying to help in some way, Artie allowed a small smile to grace his features.

"Sure, kiddo," he said, removing a guitar and a couple jackets from a chair so he could drag it to her bedside and sit down.

Claudia sniffled and smiled in return, closing her eyes for what she hoped was the last time in a good few hours.

Having assumed she had already fallen asleep, Artie was surprised a minute later when her small hand snaked its way out from beneath the sheets, palm up and fingers curled in what was clearly a tentative request - or possibly an invitation. He couldn't help the half-smile that appeared on his face as he reached out to grip her hand with his own. Hers was hot and clammy, but he didn't mind. She gripped back, and they continued on in a comfortable silence.

Gradually, Artie felt Claudia's fingers begin to slip from their grasp as what was no doubt a welcome sleep finally overtook her. And despite her request that he only stay until she had fallen asleep, the grizzled agent-turned-papa-bear remained at her side long past that point, not wanting to move for fear of disturbing the young redhead's much-needed rest. So he adjusted his position a little, mindful of their joined hands, and leaned his head back to get as comfortable as possible in the old chair.

That was how Leena found them a couple hours later, both snoozing peacefully, hands still loosely joined on the edge of Claudia's bed.


End file.
